Scots skipper Ferguson still optimistic despite defeat in Italy

Scotland captain Barry Ferguson last night fixed his gaze on the Faroe Islands and insisted a trip to the North Atlantic outpost can set the national team on a path to the Euro 2008 Finals.

As he digested the 2-0 defeat to world champions Italy, the midfielder was adamant Scotland can still qualify for next year's tournament in Austria and Switzerland.

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First blood: Luca Toni heads Italy into the lead

The first defeat of Alex McLeish's reign dropped the Scots down to second place in Group B.

But Ferguson believes victory in Toftir in June can place the national team back on course for their first major finals in a decade.

"Of course, we are disappointed with the goals we lost," said Ferguson. "We are disappointed with the way we started the game but we are encouraged by the way we kept going.

"Luca Toni is undoubtedly a good player, but we were disappointed to lose his first goal so early.

"People will talk about our next two games against the Faroes and Lithuania and say we could get six points. But the Faroes is the only game I am concerned about.

"We have to get three points up there if we are going to qualify and we will take this group one game at a time. We have had a setback tonight but we are still in with a good chance of qualifying and there is still everything to play for."

Two goals by Toni inflicted a damaging defeat which mirrored the 2-0 loss suffered during the last World Cup qualifying campaign.

But, just as in Milan two years ago, Ferguson feels the visitors had opportunities to take something from the contest.

"We certainly had a chance to do something," added Ferguson. "We had great possession at times and we opened up the Italians. If only we had got a goal, it could have been a different story. That is the most disappointing aspect.

"Maybe the Italian supporters would have got on their backs if we had started a bit better.

'We are still in the mix in terms of qualifying. There are a lot of difficult games coming up for all the teams in the group.

"Maybe we have the easiest game in the next round of games when we go for the Faroes."

Ferguson was full of praise for midfield sidekick Scott Brown, who made his first Scotland start in the Stadio San Nicola last night.

He said: "You have to grow up very quickly at this level and I thought Scott did that tonight.

"He is not a young boy anymore. He is 21, and when you see him tonight there is no doubt he has a great future in the game."

Scotland defender Stephen McManus admitted to a feeling of grievance at the free-kick which led to Italy's early opener.

The Celtic defender was harshly penalised by the Belgian referee for a foul on Toni.

And his anguish was compounded when the Italian striker headed the resultant free- kick beyond goalkeeper Craig Gordon.

"I felt it was a very soft free-kick," said McManus. "But that is what you get against top players and top teams when you are away from home.

"European's tend to do that kind of thing and European referee's usually give the free-kicks.

"I felt I took a lot of the ball and the challenge on Toni. That was the way I was brought up to play the game."

McManus, having started his first two international games in the last five days, agreed with his captain that Scotland's qualification ambitions remain in tact despite the defeat in Bari.

And he promised that McLeish's players will not lose focus as they enter the critical phase of the final six games.

"It is important to realise just how good Italy are," added McManus. "I was proud of the way we played against the best in the world.

"We have not let anybody down. If someone had said that we would be top of the group at this stage, we would have bitten their hand off for it.

"We will go to the Faroe Islands at the end of the season with confidence. That confidence has not been dented at all by this result and the lads are still up for it.

"If we can take six points from the next two games we are in with a very good chance of qualifying, even though we are disappointed not to have won tonight."

Italy manager Roberto Donadoni was relieved to clinch three points against the Scots.

"I haven't even looked at the group table yet," he said. 'All that matters that we go from game to game and win them all.

"I'm not really very good at mathematics. Scotland gave us a good test here, they were not too adventurous, but they were very strong and never gave up.

"I would like to compliment them on their performance as they have great quality and have proved it by getting this far in this section. But now it's up to Italy to push on."